Summer, 2018

Coláiste Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College

Doughiska, Galway

Summer, 2018

Merlin Branches

Merlin Branches Coláiste Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College Newsletter Summer 2018

A Word from our Principal

Dear Parent/ Guardians,

It is fitting that as the sun shines down upon us this May that we may be able to reflect on what was a very

warm and bright year for Merlin College.

Again, an incredibly fast year and athletics at Merlin added to such speed. We are delighted that 7 of our

students have qualified to compete in the All-Ireland Athletics National Finals on the 2nd June. We wish them

the very best and hopefully they will add to their many successes this year.

We were also delighted to learn that over a year of hard work by many students and yeachers that our school

has been awarded the Yellow Flag for the promotion of Inter-culturalism at Merlin College. Having a diverse

group of students is what makes Merlin College the unique school that it is and when we say that “at Merlin

nobody is different because everybody is” we really mean it! Students who attend here come from over 41

different nationalities and many ethnic backgrounds; all of whom are welcome and celebrated.

The promotion of the Irish language has again been recognised by the awarding of another Gaelbhratach Flag

to our dedicated students and teachers. A big well done to all involved. The Development Committee too

showed how committed they are to their cause by again being awarded a Worldwise Flag in recognition of the

work done by students and teachers in promoting and bringing awareness to development issues from around

the world.

Our Transition Years had again another wonderful year, the highlight of which was the hugely successful

school musical Summer Nights. I would like to thank all of you for coming out to support it and hopefully you

will continue to do so in the future. The teachers and students involved are to be commended for their

commitment and success.

Finally, I would just like to a save a special word for our 4 Leaving Cert Applied students who are graduating

this year. They are our first ever graduates and we wish them the very best for the future. Next year will see

both a full cohort of students from 1st year to 6th for the first time along with our first 6th Year Leaving Cert

graduates. Exciting times!

Until then I would like to wish you all the very best for the summer and long may the sun shine down on us

all.

Yours,

John Cleary,

Principal.

Student Awards- Coláiste Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College 2018

Congratulations to all who received an award at our end of year ceremony on May 28th

Award Winner(s)

Student of the Year

Gary Carolan & Slywia Szkup ( Senior Awards)

Danann Kemp & Rhosa Osagie ( Junior Awards)

Sprit of the School Erika Ligeikaite

TY Student of the Year

LCA Student of the Year

Maja Lawkowska

Tomás Carr

Sports Student of the Year Anthony Loye

The Arts The Junk Couture Finalists

Science and Innovation Gavin Casserly

Music Terry Ndifor

Languages

Irish: Abbie Moloney-Coyle

French: Diana Susana

Spanish: Paris Ediagbonya

English: Alyssa Charles

Personal Achievement Jack O’ Connor

Staff Award

Principals’ Award

Marek Nowak

Eric Onofrei

Congratulations also to the Coláiste Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College students who received a GRETB Award for their contributions to various aspects of school life.

Award Category: Inclusive Project – Cordell Boateng

Award Category: Sport – Thabiso Dube

Award Category: STEM – Eric Onofrei

Award Category: Cur Chun Cinn na Gaeilge & an Chultúr Ghaelaigh – Erika Ligeikaite

Award Category: Academic – Shine Sujith

Rhoda Osagie, Junior Student of the Year (Female) with Ms Farragher

and Mr Cleary.

More photos from our School Awards Ceremony are featured later on in

the newsletter!

About the Yellow Flag.

This year Merlin College has

been working hard on the Yellow

Flag Programme. The Yellow

Flag Programme is a progressive

equality & diversity initiative

for primary and secondary

schools which promotes and

supports an environment for

interculturalism. In May 2018

Merlin College was awarded

the Yellow Flag in recognition

of their work on the 8 Steps.

Yellow Flag.

Eight Steps.

1. Intercultural and Anti-

Racism Training for Staff and

Management

2. Going Beyond the School

Walls: Engaging with the

Community

3. The Diversity Committee

4. Intercultural Review

5. Action Plan for a Diverse

School

6. Monitoring, Evaluation and

Information Dissemination

7. Curriculum work

8. Diversity Code and Anti-

Racism Policy

Yellow Flag Christmas Display

The Yellow Flag Committee has

been working hard to promote

inclusion here in Coláiste

Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College with

the support from all students

and staff. For Christmas we

looked at how different

cultures throughout the world

celebrate this season. We

created a Yellow Flag display

based on how different

cultures celebrate. We are

looking forward to continuing

to promote inclusion and

celebrate diversity,

Creating Awareness.

Members of the Diversity

Committee were busy

promoting awareness of the

Yellow Flag Programme and our

school’s policy of promoting

inclusion and celebrating

diversity. The Diversity

Committee met with Dragon’s

Den Nora Casey to tell her all

about Merlin College and the

Yellow Flag.

President Michael D. Higgins and Merlin

College.

Merlin Colleges Yellow Flag Diversity Team met

with President Micheal D Higgins to discuss

diversity and inclusion in our school. Students

were accompanied by Ms ONeill and Ms Stenson

to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

Peer Teaching

The Maths Department collaborated with Transition Year students this term to organise a peer-teaching event. TYs were put into groups and each group designed a lesson plans and resources to teach a 1st Year class. Feedback from first year students was really positive. Many remarked that they found the lessons very interesting and fun.

Tá Gaelbhratach bainte amach arís ag Coláiste Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College!

Coláiste Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College have been awarded the Gaelbhratach AGAIN!

Is scéim ghradaim í Gaelbhratach a thugann aitheantas do scoileanna a ghníomhaíonn le húsáid na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn tríd an scoil ar fad. Tá Gael-Linn i mbun Gaelbhratach sna scoileanna i gcomhpháirt le Conradh na Gaeilge ar an dara leibhéal agus Coláiste Mhuirlinne ag glacadh páirt í mblíana don chéad uair.

I mbliana d'eagraigh Roinn na Gaeilge réimse iontach d’imeachtaí ar nós ceardlann damhsa ar an sean nós, aoi-chainteoirí, Gaeilge 24 agus ceolchoirm Seo Linn!

Anois leis an Ghaelbhratach bainte amach againn tá sé mar chomhartha aitheantais don obair ghníomhach ar fad a rinne an scoil le húsáid na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn. Thaisteal roinnt d’ár múinteoirí Gaeilge go Bhaile Átha Cliath le grúpa scoláirí ón idirbhliain le déanaí chun an ghradam a bhailiú.

Comhghairdeas le Roinn na Gaeilge agus gach duine, idir scoláirí agus foireann, a chabhraigh leo an éacht seo a bhaint amach!

The Gaelbhratach is an award that recognises schools who actively and continuously promote use of the Irish language in all aspects of school life. The organisation Gael Linn administer the scheme in conjunction with Conradh na Gaeilge. This was our school’s first time to enter the scheme. During the year the Irish Department organised a range of fantastic events including Sean-Nós dancing workshops, guest speakers, participation in Gaeilge 24 and the wonderful Seo Linn concert!

Achieving the Gaelbhratach is recognition of the effort being made in our school on a daily basis to promote use of the Irish language. A group consisting of some of our Irish teachers and TY students travelled to Dublin recently to collect the prestigious purple flag at a special ceremony.

Congratulations to the Irish Department and all the students and staff who contributed to this great achievement!

Student Achievement

Coláiste Mhuirlinne/ Merlin College Global Citizenship Committee

Coláiste Mhuirlinne/Merlin College has been

awarded a Diplomatic Passport for

engagement with Development Education.

Teachers and students have attended the

WorldWise Global Schools Annual Conference

for the past two years. The aim of the

conference is to promote Development

Education within schools, and to give

students a formal structure and framework

to nurture and celebrate the work that is

being done on engaging with local and global

development issues.

Best of luck to Jack O’Connor TY and Kieran

Lyons, 2nd Year, who are both swimming 25 m

front crawl and 25 m back stroke at the Special

Olympics National Games in Dublin on the 15th

,

16th

and 17th

June.

Well done to first year students, James Lukau

and Thabiso Dube, reached the U-13 Irish Cup

Final with their club, Mervue United.

Last year Coláiste Mhuirlinne/Merlin College received its first Global Passport for emerging

engagement with Development Education and have been fortune this year to receive the

Diplomatic Passport for engagement with Development Education.

The award recognized how strongly Development Education is embedded in our school and

that we have clearly set up the structures to keep it in the school. The staff and student DE

committee has the capacity to roll out really interesting and innovative work and meaningful

action such as the 2nd Year CSPE Action Project on Plastic pollution in the environment

where students sent petitions to the Minister to ask him to introduce the plastic bottle

deposit refund scheme that is currently used in Scandinavia in order to reduce the amount of

plastic not being recycled and in Social studies at Leaving Cert level have a module on

stereotypes.

Students and staff at Merlin College are delighted to have received this award and look

forward to exploring more of the Global Goals next year.

LCA & Transition Year

Leaving Cert Applied

This is the first year we have students graduating from the Leaving Cert Applied program. Our students are sitting their exams in early

June, We will be sad to see our students leaving us after six years. We wish them well in their exams and with future studies.

Transition Year program

This year we had 74 students complete our Transition year program. The students had a very busy year and took part in over twenty

different activities during the year. We had 14 students who took part in the Gaisce program this year. We are delighted that these students

achieved their bronze medal, which is a great achievement. Congratulations to Maja Laskowska who won the Transition year student of the

year.

Mr. Kearney, TY/ LCA Co-ordinator

Wishing Mr. Kearney the very best of luck in his new position as Principal in Arch Bishop McHale College

in Tuam. Thank You Mr Kearney for all your hard work and dedication to TY/ LCA and indeed to our entire school!!

Yearbook 2017/2018

A group of Transition Year students under the direction of their teachers Ms. Kelly and Ms. MacMahon created the school's first ever yearbook. The Yearbook Committee worked hard for a number of months preparing and editing the yearbook. There were 12 managerial roles within the yearbook. Over 40 students applied and interviewed for positions. The Yearbook was published and distributed in May 2018 and was completely sold out in one day! As a reward for all their hard work a trip to Tayto Park was organised.

Ian McDonagh, TY, with County

Mayor Eileen Mannion at the

Student Enterprise Awards held in

conjunction with Galway City Local

Enterprise Office.

Ian won 2nd place in the senior

section for his business plan called

“U Name It Yours”. Ian’s business

plan was to produce and sell

personalised brow bands for horses.

Over 40 projects from secondary

schools across Galway city and

county competed. Well done Ian!

Just one of the many excellent

projects in TY Enterprise this year!

Health and Wellbeing Day

The TYB Home Economics class organised a health and wellbeing day for all students and staff on Thursday 24th May. They were categorised into 3 groups; diet, exercise and wellbeing. They worked on this project for a number of weeks. Before the event took place, they created posters and leaflets and organised games and challenges for each of their stalls. They created a giant 3D apple as a symbol of health (where students could sign the apple if they agreed to make a healthy change to their lifestyle). On the day itself, they prepared their stalls by making smoothies and fruit

skewers, taking the exercise mats out and putting the music on! Some of the challenges included 'squat for a shot' whereby students had to squat 20 times to get a free smoothie shot. An enjoyable day by all!

Gardening

A number of TY and Oaks students

established a series of raised beds

in our sensory garden this year

growing potatoes, lettuce, parsnips,

onions, kale, cabbage, beetroot and

basil.

Religious Education at

Merlin College.

Guest Speaker Elma Walsh

#livelife

Elma Walsh, mother of Donal

Walsh spoke to Transition Year

and Fifth Year Students. Elma

spoke to the students about

the importance of positive

mental health and wellbeing.

Elma’s talk tied in with Section

D- A Question of Faith and

Senior Cycle – Search for

Meaning

Happiness Day at Merlin

College.

Students celebrated

"Happiness". There were

random acts of happiness

throughout the day and all 1st

years received a happiness

pack in class today! #happiness

#randomactsofkindness

#merlincollege

St Vincent de Paul’s Annual Food Appeal.

Students and teachers in Merlin College

united to collect food for the St. Vincent

de Paul Food Appeal 2017. All food that

was collected was distributed to families in

Galway.

Team Hope – Shoe Box Appeal

Students of Religious Education

participate in the Team Hope

Shoebox Appeal. Both students

and teachers made up shoe

boxes filled with different gifts

for boys and girls to open at

Christmas.

World Religions Day.

Students were able to see the

different signs and symbols

associated with each major

World Religion. Our guest

speakers for the day were Canon

Andrea Wills, Fr. John

O'Halloran and Dr. Mamoom

Rashid. All contributed to a very

Trócaire Day.

Students and Staff celebrated

Trócaire Day in Coláiste

Mhuirlinne/Merlin College. Two

events were held to mark the

event. A "Sign Up Sign Out" no

phone challenge and a Trad for

Trócaire music session. A total

amount of €119.56 was raised

Science Department Science Week

Some of 2018’s highlights in Science occurred during Science Week were the Space and

Astronomy workshops, 3D Printing, Kitchen Chemistry and for our senior students there was

particular emphasis on Jobs in Science. All of our 1st year students were given the opportunity

to travel to The BT Young Scientist Exhibition in January. Our first year classes are taking

part in Junior Achievement Programme linked with Futurewize in Science classes.

TY Science

Throughout the year, Ms Cunningham worked directly with researchers to develop content for

the classroom, while learning about the medical device research being carried out at CÚRAM

that will improve the quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses like Parkinson’s and heart

disease. All her Transition Year students took part in Modules created by Teachers and

Scientist as part of the CURÁM project in NUIG. Students had the opportunity to visit

researchers and laboratories in NUIG to strengthen their knowledge on how medical devices

work, the material they are made from and the process behind creating, analysing and making

the medical device. Students also received a workshop which focused on their META-

PERCEPTUAL Helements as part of the Art/Science Collaboration.

Cross-Curricular Links in Science

More cross-curricular links occurred throughout the year in Science and Art with TY students

taking part in the ‘CONNECT’ project in Barna Woods. Here students focused on the Science

and meditation with Art combined. TY’s also took part in the Green Sod Ireland programme in

Barna woods where they learnt to protect Irish ecosystems and take a proactive role in the

preservation of nature. Students here explored the Global Goal 12 and 15, Responsible

Consumption and Production and Life on Land.

Senior Science

All 5th year and TY students taking Chemistry and Physics for Leaving Cert took part taking

part in the Spectroscopy in a Suitcase workshop on the 3rdof May delivered by associates of

the University of Limerick. Spectroscopy in a Suitcase gives school students the chance to

learn about spectroscopy through hands-on experience. As well as covering the principles of

spectroscopic techniques, the activities use real-life contexts to demonstrate the

applications of the techniques. Students in Merlin College are very fortunate of the

experience as such equipment is not available in secondary schools and is only available at

Third Level Universities and Institutes.

Sports Updates

Athletics

Athletics training took place three

mornings a week at 8am. The students

competed in a number of events

throughout the year. Their first

competition was a friendly with

Claregalway. There was great successes

at the Connacht Indoors in Athlone and

the South Connachts outdoors-great

sucess with 20 students getting through to

the Connacht final.

20 students competed at the Connacht

Finals with 7 getting through to the All

Ireland which take place this Saturday 2nd

June. Representing the school at the All

Irelands: Rola 100m, Richard LJ, Nesta

triple jump and Junior Boys relay-Ferai,

Brooklyn, Tyrese and Seth. Wishing them

the very best of luck!

Well done to all our Athletes and many thanks to the teachers who volunteer their time and expertise

throughout the year!

Basketball

The Basketball season finished up recently in Merlin College with the ladies taking part in a GRETB tournament

versus St Killian’s and Clarin College. Under 16, Junior and Minor teams all did very well with Under 16’s and

1st Years unlucky to miss out by a basket to reach the final.The tournament brought out an even higher

competitive edge than the league and it has definitely made us look forward to the next season.

The highlight this year in the Boys Basketball was our Cadette team who reached All- Ireland Playoffs in Dublin.

The team met some very tough opponents but it has given them a hunger and determination to up their game and

aim high next season.

A special thanks to Mr. Loughane (1st year boys) Ms. Stenson and Ms Corcoran ( 1st year girls ) and Ms

Counihan ( Cadette) for their commitment in coaching this year .

Futsal/ Soccer

1D won a very competitive 1st year lunchtime soccer league involving students from every class in first year. It came down to the last game of the

tournament in which 1D defeated 1A to overtake them at the top of the table to be crowned champions.

Brooklyn also won the golden boot, as the league's top scorer, with 11 goals!

Boys Circuits

A Boys circuit’s class was established this year from 8.00 to 8.30 am every Wednesday morning. The main goal of this

class was to introduce students to age appropriate strength and conditioning in a safe and enjoyable environment.

Over twenty students in total participated in the classes over the course of the year. Students improved flexibility,

mobility, power and strength while also enjoying the social aspect of the class.

We hosted our first Merlin College Futsal Cup blitz involving eight teams from the Bish, Claregalway and Galway Community

College. We were narrowly beaten 2-1 after extra time in the semi-finals by the eventual winners, Claregalway

Art

Another incredibly busy and productive year for the Merlin College Art Department. This is just a small sample of some of the amazingly creative work produced this year.

The Art Department has completed a number of Cross Curricular Projects with various Departments this year working with Mr Freaney, History, Mr Lawless, Sport and Mr Mullin, Spanish. Below are some examples:

Left: Colour Lino Print ‘Rosa Parks/Bus Boycott’ by Alika Vilenson Investigating the non-violent protest that Martin Luther King was advocating and also the Rosa Parks bus boycott

Left: This painting is a copy of a piece of work ‘Dried Tear’ by Maja Laskowska and was completed as part of a collaboration between Mr Mullin’s TY Spanish Class and the Art Department

Below: ART/SPORT Ms Conway and Mr

Lawless HAND CUT STENCILS (below)

Left: Alika Vilenson’s Work on Show in Galway Arts Centre as part of the ‘Red Bird’ Show

TY Smiths Project

Junk Couture

Transition Year students from Merlin College made it through to the Regional Finals of the prestigious Junk Kouture competition. Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture is a national contest which encourages young designers in second level education to create striking couture designs and impressive works of wearable art from everyday junk that would normally find its way into the bin. Merlin College’s successful entry entitled ‘Wildfire’ was inspired by a fire in the Cloosh Valley, Co Galway. After watching an RTE news broadcast about the damage of these fires, the students, Carolina Pokskrobko, Alika Vilenson, Viktorija Mikaite, Erika Ligeikaite, were concerned about the dangers of fire and its effects, both socially and environmentally. The girls constructed their dress out of thousands of used matches. Their design references science by looking at the chemical properties of the striking match and mathematics in its geometric structure and triangular theme. The cyclical nature of the matchstick was also an interesting concept in their design as the match comes from the tree but also destroys the tree. “Wildfire” received over two thousand votes in an online vote. Carolina Poskrobko modelled “Wildfire” in the Junk Kouture Regional Finals in the Helix, Dublin on 7th March. It was an amazing experience for the girls. Many thanks to Ms. Conway our Art Teacher for her guidance and support.

A selection of photographs from our Awards ceremony.

All students pictured with John Cleary, Principal.

Top Row from left to right: Tomás Carr, LCA Student of the Year; Terry Ndifor, Music Student of the Year; Maja

Laskowska, TY Student of the Year pictured with Ms Farragher Deputy Principal and Mr Cleary Principal; Recipients of the

Muscial Theatre Awards;

Middle Row: Gavin Casserly, Science & Innovation Award; Marek Nowak, Staff Award; Senior Students of the Year Gary

Carolan and Sylwia Szkup; Recipients of Scifest Certificates;

Bottom Row: Erika Ligeikaite, Spirit of the School Award; Anthony Loye, Sports Award; Languages Awards Recipients; 2018

Awards Recipients with Mr Cleary.